NASA's TRMM Satellite Sees Tornadic Texas Storms in 3-D

NASA's Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) satellite provides a look at thunderstorms in three dimensions and shows scientists the heights of the thunderclouds and the rainfall rates coming from them, both of which indicate severity.

Powerful thunderstorms that created severe weather were more than 8 miles high.

NOAA's National Weather Service Storm Prediction Center received 18 reports of tornadoes occurring on April 3 over northeastern Texas. Some of these very destructive storms dropped softball sized hail as they passed to the south of the Dallas/Fort Worth area.

To see a simulated flyby from the TRMM satellite around these storms, visit: https://trmm.gsfc.nasa.gov/images_dir/tornadic_tstms_4apr12_0133_utc_radar_animated.gif (28 MB animated gif).

Source: NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center